Teach Reading and Writing Issue 19

8 | www.teachwire.net Along with his quartet of friends, Skandar quickly finds himself involved in nail-biting races, sky battles, ancient secrets, epic adventures, fierce friendships and—occasionally—flaming unicorn farts. But this is also a book about finding people who accept you for who you really are, and about the fierce bond that can exist between humans and animals. It’s a book about loving people – even when loving them can be hard. And about doing the right thing – even when it scares you. It’s about how we are made up of all kinds of visible and invisible pieces. There are so many different facets of the elements, just like there are of people – and every single one is beautiful. In the end, it’s a book about how we can find ourselves in all of the elements, and how on the days where we need to be a blaze rather than a spark, or a raindrop rather than a riptide, we have each other. The message of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is a simple one, really: together, we are always stronger. Oh, and it turns out unicorns are a little more bloodthirsty than we expected. That too. Fans of Percy Jackson , Harry Potter , How to Train Your Dragon , Nevermoor , Alex Rider , Amari , and Artemis Fowl will all find much to enjoy in the Skandar books. Aside from creative world-building and action scenes, one of the aspects that links the Skandar series with these other adventures is the strong friendships between the characters. Here’s how to create your own scene of companionable contentment… S kandar and the Unicorn Thief is the first book in the Skandar series. These fantasy adventures are set in a world very similar to our own, with one major difference: unicorns are real, and they’re bloodthirsty. Within this book’s pages you’ll find ferocious unicorns, elemental magic, and a thirteen-year-old hero called Skandar, who is determined to be chosen to go to the magical Island and bond with a ferocious unicorn. Fire, water, air, and earth magic are at the core of the magic system on the Island, but when Skandar finds out which element he is allied to, his life takes a dangerous turn. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman WAGOLL Skandar and the Chaos Trials , the third adventure in the series, is out now. DOWNLOAD RESOURCES AT Download your FREE , exclusive teaching pack to help you explore both this extract and the rest of the book with your class. tinyurl.com/ tp-Skandar FIVE TOP TIPS FOR A CONTENTED SCENE SET THE SCENE Describing the setting clearly can help readers visualise the interaction between the characters without the distraction of trying to imagine where it’s taking place. CHOOSE THE LOCATION Ensure the characters have a connection to the location of the scene. It could be a place they used to visit when they were younger, or a new place they’ve discovered together – this will build on the emotion of the moment. EMPHASISE EMOTION This kind of scene is your chance to convey the emotions your characters are feeling, and the friendship they have for one other. Don’t shy away from using the opportunity to explore this in dialogue – which can often feel more immediate. GET TO KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS Building character profiles can really help create the most impactful scene of companiable contentment. The better you know your character, the more easily the other characters and the reader can connect with them too. BUILD ON PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS Since companionable contentment doesn’t usually happen immediately, ask yourself what has happened before this moment you are describing. Referencing past shared experiences in the scene will make it feel more realistic, as well as involving the reader in the characters’ friendship. Peer inside the mind of the author, and help pupils understand how to describe a scene of companionable contentment